IAF Chief Says US Made No Formal F-35 Offer, Jokes American Personnel Kept Indian Airmen Away from Jet

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on October 10 that the United States has made no formal offer to sell India the F-35 stealth fighter, according to Business Standard, The Statesman, and Outlook India. Speaking at a press conference in Jodhpur alongside General Kevin Schneider, commander of US Pacific Air Forces, Singh joked that American personnel did not even let Indian airmen near the aircraft. The remarks came during the multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti 2026, where six US F-35s participated for the first time on Indian soil. Singh also said no decision has been taken on Russia's proposal to supply Su-57 fighter aircraft, The Statesman reported.

The IAF faces a shortfall in fighter squadrons as India develops its indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft program, according to Outlook India. For India the presence of the F-35 at the exercise provides a rare opportunity to observe a frontline fifth-generation combat aircraft in a realistic operational environment, according to earlier South China Morning Post reporting. The US has sold F-35s to several NATO allies as well as Japan, Singapore, and Australia but is selective about which countries receive the jet. India remains the world's largest arms importer and has historically relied on Russia for the majority of its defense purchases, though the US-India defense relationship has deepened in recent years.

Sources

Business Standard, "US yet to formally offer F-35 to India, says IAF chief AP Singh in Jodhpur," October 11, 2026, business-standard.com The Statesman, "US wants to sell F-35 jets to India? IAF chief's sharp response clears the air," October 11, 2026, thestatesman.com Outlook India, "IAF Chief Says US Made No Formal F-35 Offer, Jokes Indian Airmen Were Kept Away From Jet," October 11, 2026, outlookindia.com